Clash of the Titans'
by TetsuoTsubushi
Summary: [WA 3] The newly created resort town of Mirage Bay is the setting for a new adventure. Jet is after a staff worth a fortune. But so is Maya for the gem in it, and a strange cult desires it as well. It's safe to say it won't be easy. [Complete]
1. Default Chapter

**"Why are we going to ****Mirage****Bay****?" Jet wondered. The group making their way across the desert on their horses moving slowly.**

**"Don't you feel that we need a break?" ****Virginia**** wondered. "It's been a tiring week."**

**"Yes, and ****Mirage****Bay**** is a new resort town that has opened recently and I'm rather intrigued with it. From what I hear they have dug a hole in the ground and water came up. Now there is an artificial lake there." Clive mentioned.**

**"Whatever, Like I care about that." Jet replied.**

**"Oh yeah!"**** Gallows shouted as he came up alongside of them. "I bet there's gonna be all sorts of stuff to do. Not to mention lots of ladies. And if you can really swim in that lake just imagine what they'll be wearing."**

**Jet looked away with a blush. Clive fixed his glasses. "Only you would say such a thing." Jet replied. "You do know there's a girl right there?"**

**"What are you getting at? Clive's no girl." Gallows asked in confusion.**

**"He means me!" ****Virginia**** retorted.**

**"Oh, well, I sort of think of you as one of the guys. You're our faithful leader after all." Gallows replied as an invisible sweat could almost be seen above his head.**

**"Just great," ****Virginia**** mutters. "I'm thought of as one of the guys."**

**Jet looks ahead. Clive clears his throat. "You know what I just remembered Jet?" Jet stared at him. "If I remember right the man who created the radio, Mr. Abneto, lives in ****Mirage****Bay**** on his own in the sea of sand."**

**"What's your point?"**

**"Well, he is said to be the owner of The Staff of the Sky. That thing is worth thirteen million gella. The gem that is inside it's tip alone is worth five."**

**Jet's mouth almost watered. Thirteen million? And, there's a gem in it worth five alone? He had to get that thing. "Okay, so what are we waiting for? Let's get to this place already!" Jet rode on ahead.**

**"That was dirty, Clive." ****Virginia**** said with a smile.**

**"Why? It was the truth." Clive replied with a similar smile.**

**After clearing a hill the four came upon a marvelous sight. There at the edge of the continent was a lake near the shore. There was already a booming town starting beside it named the same as the bay. ****Mirage****Bay**** The sight was unbelievable.**

**"This place proves that there is still such water on the planet. It is only hiding." Clive noted. "Very interesting."**

**"Yeah, yeah.**** Who cares about that? Look at this place! It looks exciting." Gallows pointed out various attractions.**

**"Where's the house of that guy?" Jet immediately asked. He scanned the land. "Is it that mansion on that island off the coast there?"**

**"It would seem so."**

**"I'll see you chatterboxes later than." He was cut off by ****Virginia****. "What do you want?"**

**"Be careful. You know that you can sometimes end up in bad situations." She warned.**

**"That never happens to me." Jet said in defense. She just stared at him. "Fine, I do on occasion, but this will easy. All I have to do is find a staff. That easy."**

**"Maybe we should set up some sort of plan." Clive mentioned. "Why don't you just go on ahead to scout the area for the moment Jet? You will find the staff's location and return to us. That way we can work as a team to get it and the risk is not so great."**

**"Whatever." He looked to the lowering sun. "I'll wait until night. I'm going to have to find a way to get to that island though. Why didn't we take the Sandcraft?" He looked around the town.**

**"I think the sand will be shallow enough for you to cross on foot." Clive announced.**

**"That just makes it better then." Jet could see the money in his eyes. Thirteen million gella.**

**"Well, good luck with that. I'm going to go sightseeing." Gallows waved and left the three.**

**"Yes, I will look up more info on the Staff. If you need me Jet, just use the radio that connects you to the ****Inn****. I will be there." Clive left the remaining two.**

**"Don't get yourself killed. It will be on my head as the leader." ****Virginia**** warned and rode off after the other two.**

**The moon hung low over the lands lighting them with a pale white light. The two-story mansion that Abneto had built was more wide than high. Though, the roof was about thirty feet above the ground. Luckily the sand was soft below. There was a basement too. Though Jet did not care. He had scaled the wall and had landed on the roof. From what he saw earlier there was a way in through here where there was ventilation. Why don't compounds ever protect their ventilation shafts better? All the 'good guys' always seem to go in through them easily.**

**"Heh.**** Too easy." Jet comments as he does a crouched run across the roof. "Wha?" One of his scarves was snagged on a piece of roofing. "Ah, shit!" His footing was lost and he took a fall off the side of the roof where he was standing at the time. Landing right on his side. He was lucky the ground was soft after all. When he finally got the air back in himself he let out, "Ow." A twig from some odd bush was digging into his back. "Damnit! I gotta…" He went to stand and felt a pain in his leg. He sprained it? "Shit!"**

**Suddenly lights along the outside turn on and he is blinded. "A burglar?" When he gained his sight back Jet was before a young woman his age with white hair that was curly. Her dress was purple over black. A headband keeping her hair back. His breath was lost again for an entirely different reason. The way the light shone behind her he almost took her as an angel.**

**"N-No! I mean…I'm Daine Aznabel. No burglar." He defended.**

**Alongside of the first woman came a second younger girl with red hair. Tied into two big tails wearing a sky blue dress and blouse. "Hiya Daine! I', Ruby, and this is my older sister Aura."**

**"Ruby!"**** The white haired one scolded. "He may still be a thief."**

**"I-I'm not!" Jet defended. "I have business with your father. I want to talk to him."**

**"Maybe so…but I'll keep my eyes on you."**

**"You can do as you wish…I have nothing to hide from eyes that look as beautiful as that lake." Jet then mentally cursed. He said that? He was thinking it sure, but he said it? He felt ridiculous.**

**"Urm…I…Come this way Daine." Aura replied with a fidget and walked away in a rush. Ruby took Jet's hand and stared at his face.**

**"Uh, what is it?" He wondered.**

**"Nothing.**** Did you know that you were cute?"**

**"Uh…no…I suppose not." He replied nervously.**

**"Mr. Aznabel!" He looked to Aura up ahead. "Don't dawdle."**

**"It's…uh…Daine." He stands from the ground fully and his leg gives out under him. "Ah, I must've, sprained it."**

**Aura rushed over to him. "Oh dear. Ruby please go find father and the maid."**

**"Right."**** With that the red-haired one departed as Aura looked at his leg.**

**"Can you stand if I help you?" He simply nodded. The two stood up as he put half his weight on her. "However did you hurt yourself?"**

**"I…uh…slipped as I was coming up this way and I fell in the bushes. I can…uh…be clumsy at times." He lied.**

**She simply smiled at him. "I think I'll like you. You seem like you'll make things interesting."**

**"Uh…I think so too."**

**"So, you have come to see me?" At the far end of the extravagant dining hall table sat Mr. Abneto. A man in his older years with hair that has since become as gray as Jet's. His style being a suit and tie. A groomed moustache worn on his face. Between him and Jet sat Aura and Ruby on the two sides of the table. Food placed in front. A painting of a woman was hung on the wall. A woman who Jet deduced as the departed Mrs. Abneto.**

**"Uh, right…I…have a question for you. It covers your field of specialty. Radios." Jet was glad he remembered that Clive said that much.**

**"Go on." Mr. Abneto insisted.**

**"Well…uh…do you believe that by using radio waves we can map the world? Find things we could not before? Like, as if using the waves as a radar?" Jet questioned. That was the best he had at such short notice.**

**"That's a hard one to answer." Mr. Abneto confirmed. "I believe that it is possible. It would help those who are explorers."**

**Aura moved forward in her chair and looked to Jet. "Are you an explorer, Daine?"**

**"Uh…you could say that. I have done my share of travels across Filgaia."**

**"Does that mean you have one of those sandcrafts?" Ruby wondered. Hanging onto every word.**

**"Uh, yeah…I sort of co-own one you could say."**

**"So, you journey with others?" Mr. Abneto questioned.**

**"Uh, yeah…unfortunately."**** They raised their eyebrows. "Uh, I mean they can be a handful sometimes." He gives a fake laugh.**

**"So then…I guess you will be on your way now?" Aura wondered in a soft voice.**

**"No, I probably shouldn't with my leg hurt. I'll take that offer you presented earlier and stay the night."**

**"Let me show you your room then!" Ruby announced as she stood up and grabbed Jet pulling him away from the table.**

**"But…I wasn't done!" Jet said to no avail.**

**"Damn, I can't believe I made that dumb of a mistake." Jet cursed. Not only had he fallen off the roof and put himself in front of the 'enemy', he had also dropped his Aigert-Lahm B/V2 on the roof. No good to him there. From his room he opens the window and looks up to the roof. He was on the second story in one of the guest rooms. He could easily reach the end of the roof and pull himself up. "I guess I gotta go and get it."**

**"Where is he?" ****Virginia**** muttered as she paced back and forth in the room at the ****Inn****. "I mean, shouldn't he have tracked it down by now? He has that radar of his."**

**"He may have been caught…" Clive mentioned which caused her to pause and tighten up.**

**"You better hope not." She glared.**

**"You guys won't believe what I just saw." Gallows announced as he burst into the room. "I just saw those other guys. Y'know, the Schoredners or something like that. The girl with messed up powers and the guy with the afro. The boy who keeps throwing bombs at us. Not to mention that weird cat thing."**

**"What are they doing here?" ****Virginia**** wondered.**

**Something was recalled by Clive. "The Staff that Jet wants. What was it I said was in the tip of it?"**

**"A gem worth-A gem!"******

**"And that girl does love her gems." Gallows mutters.**

**"I have to go find Jet!" ****Virginia**** decided. "I'm going right away." With that she ran out of the room.**

**"I probably should have told her that had Jet been found he probably would go covert and act as someone totally different." Clive mentioned. Instead of worrying about it he turned his attention back to his research on the Staff of the Sky.**

****

**Authors Note: Hello! If you're reading this, I thank you of course. If you're a returning reader, thanks a lot. I've decided to invest in this medium of Wild ARMS fanfiction. Although, so far I have no ideas for ones regarding the first two. Maybe if I play the first one over again as Alter Code F I will get a new idea.**

**Anyway, I set up a C2 community that involves just Wild ARM fanfiction. Any of the games, show, or comic. So, if you want you can e-mail me and I'll add you to it. It would be cool I would think. I call it Memories of Filgaia. It makes sense in lots of ways that I will not go into.**

**By-the-by, I do not own the rights to anything regarding Wild ARMs. This story itself, as is Overgrown, is based on my own story, so I own this story.**

**Anyway, read and review.**


	2. The next Chapter

The night came to Mirage Bay and aside from the bars there was no other noise throughout this area. The waves of water made a pleasant noise those nearby. In the sea of sand was the small island home of Mr. Abneto, the creator of the radio. Here Jet had come in hopes of obtaining a staff worth thirteen million gella. Now, he's a guest in the home.

There was nothing but quiet in the carpeted halls. At one end, something moved. That was when the lights turned on. Ruby stared at the man with scruffy black hair wearing a vest and pants tucked into his boots. A man who looked like a deer caught in the headlights. "Who are you?" She questioned.

"Where is the Staff of the Sky?" The man immediately questioned as he proved how agile he was by closing the distance between them. Sadly for him he was caught by Jet.

"Who is this guy?" Jet wondered.

"I've never seen him before." Ruby replied.

Jet narrowed his eyes. "You know, I was trying to sleep buddy."

"Back off!" The man broke free and stumbled back just as Aura too joined them in the hall. "Ruby?" She wondered as she wiped the fragments of sleep from her eyes.

"Where is the Staff of the Sky? Tell me now or die!" The man demanded.

"Staff of the Sky?" Jet muttered with wide eyes. The same thing he was after. "Aura, Ruby, go to your dad." Jet ordered.

"What will you do?" Aura questioned with worry.

"I don't know. Just get out of here." Jet simply said. They nodded and ran away down the hall and beyond to get their father. Jet turned to the man with a grin. "The Staff will be mine. I sure as Hell ain't going to let you have it."

"I, Godai, have been charged with this mission from the Grand One. I will not let the Sin Con Movement down." The intruder remarked. With that he lunged forward at Jet who backed up to the wall.

Grabbing the vest again he pulls Godai back and punches him in the face twice before throwing him to the floor by the end of the hall under the small window. Godai stands and bursts out from inside and through the glass window. Disappearing into the night. Jet was quick to the window and looked up. "The son of a bitch is on the roof!" Jet grit his teeth and stormed into his own room picking up the Aigert-Lahm B/V 2. With that he leaves his window as he did earlier and jumps up onto the roof. He spots his enemy. "You're not getting away that easy!"

"The same is said for you!" With that Godai jumped out at Jet again. Once again he misses as Jet draws his arm. "I see!" With that Godai drew an ARM of small size that was completely hidden well. Designed for a spy. Godai fires at Jet who jumps back and away in response.

Jet gains his balance and swings his gun down firing at the other man. Three shots just grazing the arm of the other man. Bearing the pain Godai moved forward firing again only to have the same results. In that moment Jet moved forward and kicked the skull of Godai. That left Godai defenseless as Jet lets go multiple shots into the abdomen. Finishing his assault by hitting Godai's face with the butt of his ARM. Jet's foe collapses to the roof.

Breathless, Godai glared at Jet. "I...will not...bear such...shame...I...have failed in...my mission...Who are you?"

"It's none of your concern."

"I...have...failed...The Grand One...I cannot...return now." Godai stood weakly as his ARM fell to the ground. Jet watched perplexed.

"Wh-What are you doing?" Jet muttered as Godai backed away for the ledge. "Stop that!" It was too late. The man had fallen from the roof on the side Jet did not earlier. He had fallen on the side covered with jagged rocks. "He jumped? What kind of fool is he?" Jet reviews what he knows now. That man, said that he was of the Sin Con Movement. Whatever that was. Still, they are his enemy, were they not?

After returning inside he stumbled back into the hall. There was Aura to meet him. Unexpected, and it made him nervous. She sort of popped out from nowhere. "What happened?" She questioned.

"He...died...suicide." Jet said without going further.

"What was he after?"

"Something I don't think you had." Jet merely said. "You shouldn't worry about it. It's over now."

"Is it?" She said with emotion. An amount of concern and fear.

"Yeah."

"Daine, I," She simply threw herself onto him in a loose hug. "I was so scared...I never thought...something like this could happen."

Jet stared forward confused. He hesitantly placed his arms around her. "Like I said, you won't have to worry about him again. Go to bed." She nodded and broke away from him drying her tears. He watched her go into her room and close the door. That's when he changed his pace and ran down the stairs and into the den. There he had noted seeing a radio. He scratched his head. He could not remember how to use it or how to talk to Clive. That and, did he really want to? That would be like admitting defeat. No, he had to. He needed to know about what the Staff was, and he was sure as Hell not going to go into boring research to find that out. "Clive? Come in?"

"You didn't say over, over."

"Do you come in, over?" Jet said with clenched teeth.

"Yes, I do. What can I do you for?" Clive said merrily despite the late hour. "I see you can use the radio properly."

"Listen, I was just fighting this guy from some group called...Sin Con Movement. He's after the Staff too. I want to know why, and just who those guys are."

"Got it. I'll look into it."

"Good."

"By the way,"

"What?"

"I should mention that as soon as the sun rises Virginia is intent on going over there. Gallows detained her for the moment."

"Ugh, well, I'm under cover right now. So...whatever. I could do for the backup." Jet shut off the radio. "Now, how did I use this thing?" He questioned.

The sun rose over the lands and people stirred. The Abneto home was now relatively quiet after the events following last night. Sadly that would soon end.

A knock came at the front door. There stood the leader of the Maxwell Gang in all her glory. Her hair flowing in the wind. He violet dress moving as well. Then the door was opened by none other than Aura. The two stared at one another. Virginia was questioning whether Jet really was in it for the Staff. Aura was wondering who this woman at her door was, and if they had come for Jet. Then she felt threatened by her presence. "Can, I help you?" Aura managed.

"Um," Virginia simply stuttered. "I think, my friend is here."

"You mean Daine? He was still resting when I checked upon him." Aura looked around to make sure. She looked to Virginia with narrowed eyes. "Who are you? His girlfriend?"

"I'm, er, n-no. I'm Virginia Maxwell. He is a partner of mine," She pauses. "I mean, uh, he's not, my partner, in that way, I mean, like a partner in a business." She stammered.

"It's a pleasure meeting you then." Aura gave her a warm and welcoming smile. "I am Aura Abneto. My father and sister, Ruby, are here as well. Come on in and I will show you to the guest room where Daine is." Virginia just mouthed the words Daine in confusion and followed.

"So, we're heading to some religious church place? That's no fun." Gallows moaned.

"Regardless. Jet informed me of an attack made by the Sin Con Movement. I looked into it and they are actually a new religion that had popped up nearby." Clive explained. "Those people are looking for that Staff as well."

"So, what do you want to do?" Gallows wondered.

"I'll handle the talking. You just stay outside and watch the horses." Clive explained.

"That's definitely not fun." He moaned.

"Milady!" Todd strode up alongside Maya. "How do you intend to go about this?"

"Don't worry so much." Maya dismissed.

"She's right." Alfred mentioned as he walked up. "We have connections."

"You mean? The Abneto family, are friends of yours?" Todd wondered.

"Yep. That makes things easier on us. We can just walk in and take it." She replied.

The tabernacle of the Sin Con Movement was basic in structure. Nothing all too different in it than most other buildings built at this time. It was obscenely long though. Clive doubted that there was as many in this 'cult' than capable of fitting in the building.

Entering the halls he found it mainly empty. He knew it would be though. The members were outside doing some sort of ritual. There was a cold and empty feeling about the place. The floors were made of rock and each footstep echoed. The pews all lined up as they were.

"What is, it about this place I don't like?" He muttered.

"Who are you?" A boisterous voice questioned. Clive turned his attention to a tall man wearing a red coat and green pants with two ARMs strapped to them. Two ARM equivalent of shotguns. His hair long and blonde. A foreboding look to his face.

"I can ask the same to you."

"Pheh. You are but a virus. I'm good at getting rid of those." Before Clive knew it he was fired upon and the man in glasses could only jump to the floor and roll to the side. Clive draws his ARM and aims as he fires at the dual-ARM fighter. The sniper's shot misses. As the man goes to aim Clive jumps behind some pews causing the bullets to blow chunks from the wooden benches about the area. As Clive made a move he got his ARM caught under the pew as he stood. He was left defenseless.

"How about, we do this without the hardware?" Clive shrugged.

The man grinned. "Agreed." With that he was already closing the distance with Clive who catches the punch and returns with a knee to the stomach. In that moment Clive's enemy throws his head into Clive's own causing the sniper to stumble back. In that moment his enemy launches an assault of multiple punches. Finally kicking Clive in the gut sending the sniper to the ground.

Clive struggles to stand and as he is about to he is hit aside by a pew that his enemy used as a club. "You're lucky you wear glasses. I went easy on you. It is not everyday that Hideko does such." The man—Hideko—simply said as Clive collapsed to the floor and lost consciousness.


	3. The Next Chapter Before You Tell Me To P...

Afternoon came to the Abneto residence. A calm and quiet one still. Jet had not gotten the chance to look for the staff just yet. He was either with Aura, or with Virginia, or with both of them and he was not given the chance to slip away and look for this treasure.

However, at this moment he was given the opportunity to do so. He crept along near the foyer as he looked for an area that would seem suspicious. Just as he was about to inspect the basement there was a knock at the front door. He slumped in defeat. He was never going to get to see that staff will he?

He reluctantly goes to the front door and opens it to a surprise. "Y-you? Why are you here?"

Maya Schroedinger stood before him at the door. "I can ask the same of you?"

"Maya's here!" Ruby exclaimed with a bubbly stride as she ran to the door. "Daine, meet Maya."

"Daine?" Maya smirked.

Jet stared at her eyes. "Wha'cha going to do about it?"

Maya bowed. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Daine." Jet watched perplexed. She was a crafty one.

"Where are your manners Daine?" Ruby commented.

"Uh, right." He took Maya's hand and kissed it. "It's a pleasure to meet you to." He leaned forward. "What are you up to?" He whispered.

"I'm a good family friend." She confided with him and walked forward and past him. "Why are you here Daine?"

"He came to see father." Ruby noted. She found that the two of them were acting odd. "Um, do you two, know one another?"

"He and I go back a bit." Maya simply said.

"Then, what a coincidence that you two would meet here."

"Ruby!" Running up to the door came Alfred.

"Hiya Alfred!" She waved as he came up with loss of breath. She looks to Jet. "Do you know Alfred as well?" Jet nodded.

"What's this, a guest?" Alfred wondered.

"Hey, sis cooked up lunch and it's almost time for it." Ruby mentioned.

"That sounds great! I can't wait." Alfred said without any bit of the shyness he usually had. Jet noted that there was a change in him the moment Ruby said something about her sister. Alfred and Maya walked away from the foyer heading for the dining room.

Ruby looked up to Jet with a blush. "Um, Why not sit next to me at lunch, Daine?"

"Uh...I don't see why not." He scratched his cheek in confusion. She smiled and walked into the dining area. Jet was about to go back to his search, but he knew he would be given no time. So he walked to meet the others in defeat.

Mr. Abneto had already seated himself at one end and Aura sat at the other. Jet sat between Ruby and Virginia who were along the side. Directly across from him was Maya, and to Maya's left was her brother who was seated right at the end near to Aura. The food was served and all began to dig in except Jet who did so slowly. He was weary of Maya and Alfred across from him. Maya had a way of glancing at him and giving him a smirk. Especially when she would say 'Daine' and would give a chuckle.

"Wow! Aura you've really outdone yourself this time." Alfred commented.

"Thank you." She said with a small blush. "I was certain to make my best meal since there were so many guests today. So I thought it best be a special one."

"And it was." Jet commented as he glanced at Alfred. There was something hidden in each of their eyes as they did so.

"You've never said that about my cooking." Virginia commented as she glanced away.

"Well, yeah, you don't cook this great." At that Virginia simply smacked Jet on the back of the head gaining a laugh from everyone else at the table aside from Jet and Mr. Abneto. He was only smiling.

"I do love it when the table is full." Mr. Abneto commented as they all continued with their meal. Jet giving Virginia a glare every so often.

A dark and moldy room with only one small window. Along the walls water, or rather dew dripping. The occasional dripping of fluid also from the ceiling into a puddle on the floor.

A drop hits his face. At that Clive woke up. He tried to stand, but found himself chained to the wall. It was practically a dungeon, but he could still tell he was in the tabernacle of the Sin Con Movement. He would have thought that they would kill him.

"How did I get myself into this?" He spots a nearby book that someone must have dropped while guarding him, and he kicks it over to him. Using his hands he opens it and studies the pages. His mouth drops. "That, is the truth behind it?"

He was going to read more, but at that the door opened. Clive readied himself for the man who imprisoned him. Instead there was one man from Baskar with a smirk on his face. "Heh. So this is where you are?" Gallows commented.

"Yeah, yeah. Now get me free." Clive replied.

"Okay, okay. Your panties in a bunch or something." Gallows replied with a laugh.

"You're tempting Death to move his scythe on your neck." Clive warned.

"Hey! That was uncalled for. Y'know, I don't have to let you out."

"We both know sooner or later I will get out. It's all a matter of how hard I will hit you when I do get free. So, you want me to spare you by letting me go now, or do you want me to shoot you later for not doing so?" Clive warned again.

"Whatever, I was going to free you anyway." With that Gallows took the keys and unchained the sniper. The first thing Clive did was knock the other on his butt. "Hey!"

"You're lucky you're only getting off with a shove." Clive noted.

"I can't wait to leave this place." Gallows grumbled as he stood. "It seems to bring out the worst in you."

Clive picks up his ARM as it lied out in the hall. "Did you get in easily?"

"Yep, no baddies whatsoever."

"Why?"

"I dunno. They were all out back doing one of their crazy rituals." Gallows shrugged.

The two enter the main hall where Clive had earlier fought Hideko. "I was reading a book back there. It said that the Staff of the Sky is not just some simple staff worth thirteen million. It is an ancient weapon forged by the demons themselves. It seems to hold some sort of divine, supreme power within it."

"So, the leader of this cult is after that?"

"Yeah, his name was-"

"You wish to tempt fate a second time?" Before them stood Hideko once more. "This time I won't let you live I guess." At that he draws his guns and Clive pushes Gallows aside before jumping the other way as Hideko fires out at them. Clive spots one of their holy scriptures in book-form and tosses it at Hideko causing the man to drop one of his ARMs.

While Hideko is startled by this Clive dives forward in a roll and snatches up the ARM that was dropped. They each move to fire at one another and stop once each had clearly aimed to the other's head. "Heh."

"Looks like we're evenly matched." Hideko commented.

"Well, I wouldn't say that...Ha!" At that Clive does a leg sweep and backs away just as Hideko lets off a shot that is deflected off of his own ARM. Clive charges forward and jumps kicking the other man across the floor. Clive lunges forward to hit the downed man, but instead Hideko moves his foot knocking the ARM from Clive's hand. Before Clive knew what had happened he had a gun at his head.

"Checkmate..." Hideko simply said as his finger gingerly came to the trigger.


	4. Let's Get the Ball Rolling

"Hey, who's that guy?" Todd wondered. He and Shady stood by the bushes on the exterior of the Abneto home. From that spot Todd had caught sight of a man dressed as if royalty or someone of a noble job walking to the front door. The man with his brown head of hair parted in the middle. Glasses that had not arms and so just lied on the nose. His clothes a dark blue in the design of a suit.

"Dunno. Looks like someone important to me." The cat replied as he leaned against the wall with crossed arms. Surveillance was a boring job for the two.

"Hmm. Yes, but important tends to mean evil." Todd noted grabbing his sheathed blade. "I'm going in."

"The basement?"

"Yeah."

"Good luck then."

"Sanen," Mr. Abneto met the nicely clothed man at the door in the foyer. "It's great that you decided to come by. Why do I feel that you have come on a greater reason than just being friends?"

"It is not a friendly visit." Sanen replied as he scanned the foyer. "I've come to see the treasure."

"Oh, come this way then." And Mr. Abneto led the man away and for the basement door.

From above peering over a railing Jet looked down as the two left, "Who was that man?" He wondered looking to Aura.

"Sanen." She informed.

Alfred joined the two. Getting a quick look in at Aura's face. "He's the leader of the Sin Con Movement." Alfred noted. "I don't trust the guy."

Jet's eyes bulged. "Sin Con Movement?" He questioned. "Uh, s-say what's in that room your father and that men went into?"

Aura looked down at the door. "Hmm. My mother's most cherished item...The Staff of the Sky." She looked back to him. "Nothing that would interest you much."

"Uh, yeah, I know. What would I do with a lousy staff?" He rubbed at the back of his head with a slight nervous laugh. Alfred glared.

Stealthily entering through a basement window Todd find himself in the narrow dark bowels of the mansion. "Where am I?" He walked forward until he saw a bright light and found it to be a long corridor that was much bigger than the rest of the basement. At the end was on a pedestal a golden staff. Voices? At that Todd ducked away into a small alcove behind a box.

"Yes, it is as beautiful as they've said." Sanen noted as he and Mr. Abneto walked to the staff.

"That's the Staff of the Sky?" Todd whispered.

"Yes, I found this staff many years ago while on my way back from Laxisland." Mr. Abneto commented. "Personally I don't like the thing, but people tend to love it."

"Why, do you keep it then?" Sanen wondered.

Mr. Abneto looked away. "My wife cherished this so. I keep it to remember her."

"I see...sentimental value." Sanen noted. "But, it must hold some bad memories then. You should...rid yourself of such a thing."

"What are you suggesting?" Mr. Abneto wondered.

"Nothing." Sanen defended. "I was only thinking it may be easier on you to purge yourself of such a belonging that brought painful memories of a loved one back."

Mr. Abneto looked to Sanen and then to the Staff. "No, I think I shall keep it. To remember the woman who I...love."

"All right then."

"Is it just me, or does this guy want that staff?" Todd muttered.

"What an interesting situation you're in." Hideko commented as he remained steady with his ARM aimed at Clive's head.

"Heh." Clive let out. "It's not the first time this has happened to me. What do you take me for?"

"I see. Let's make this the last time then...So long." At that moment Gallows flew into Hideko and Clive moved knocking the ARM out of Hideko's hand.

"Now what? That was pointless." Clive muttered.

"I'm no fool! I will not be seen as one!" Hideko charged at Clive who simply moves aside and trips the approaching foe. Unexpectedly Hideko bounces back hitting Clive across the jaw. To which Clive sends his foot into Hideko's abdomen. Again, Hideko rebounds and throws countless punches Clive's way. "I will not fail the Grand One. I will not fail Sanen."

"Give up!" At that Clive throws another punch to Hideko's nose as Hideko kicks Clive to the ground in the same moment. As the blood runs from Hideko's nose he moves forward and strikes downward on Clive. Finally Hideko grabs onto Clive's leg and swings the sniper until losing grip and sending him through five rows of pews.

"I win." Hideko muttered as he walked toward the downed Clive.

"Clive!" Gallows shouted coming back into the fray. Gallows slides Clive's arm across the floor until it hits the sniper's foot.

In an instant Clive picks it up and has it aimed at Hideko's chest. "Heh. I emptied that ARM of it's ammo. Do not make empty threats with it."

"Ugh." Clive sat up a bit. "I trust...my weapon and my friends."

"Trust has no place in a battle to the death." Hideko commented.

"It has everything to do with it!" With that a shot rang out hitting Hideko in the gut causing the member of the cult to collapse to his knees.

"B-But how?"

"I knew Gallows would reload it for me." Using his ARM Clive stands.

"...T-then...that makes you...right."

"We should go." Clive looks to Gallows.

"Yeah. Where to?"

"I found out something while reading that book back there. We have to go get it."

As the two Drifters left the tabernacle their enemy collapsed in a puddle of blood.

Night came to the Abneto home once more in an uneventful and peaceful manner. Everyone had already departed for bed—despite how disappointed Jet was at wasting a day he thought it best not to seem suspicious and sneak out later.

Aura meanwhile had opted to do the dishes now. Humming a little tune much like her mother before her she worked away at scrubbing the plates and glasses from dinner. Sighing as she looked to the finished result and removing her apron.

Walking into the foyer she turns off the main light. "What a day." She mumbles and begins for the staircase. A knock at the front door. "Who could that be?"

As midnight came the Abneto home had amassed in the living area. One topic of course was on their mind, and Jet started the protest.

"What happened?" He said in shock.

"It's Aura...she was kidnapped." Ruby sadly admitted before running to him and crying into his shirt much to his chagrin.

"Kidnapped? By who?" Jet wondered.

Alfred threw a piece of paper aside. "That Sanen guy."

Mr. Abneto looked to the carpet sadly. "Then...we must give him what he wants."

"No, we will not do that." Jet reprimanded.

"You mean...you'll fight to get Aura back?" Ruby wondered looking up to his face with tears in her eyes.

"Uh...more or less." He looks to Maya. "Are those other two guys around?"

Maya nods. "I left them outside."

"I don't think Sanen could have gotten far then. He must have snuck in pretty well to go undetected by those two." Jet comments. Virginia enters pushing Todd and Shady in.

"They were asleep!" Virginia noted. Everyone sort of sighed.

"We would have seen him leave though. We were awake for that much." Todd corrected.

"So he didn't leave?" Jet looked to Mr. Abneto. "Where's the Staff of the Sky?"

"You know about that?" Mr. Abneto wondered.

"Now's not the time old man!" He returned.

"Where is it sir?" Virginia approached.

"The basement in the hidden passage way behind the shelf of pickled vegetables." Mr. Abneto replied. Jet looked to the rest of them.

"Well, what now?"


	5. The Bird Brain and the First Round

Jet, Virginia, Maya, and Alfred burst into the basement halls. ARMs ready to fire. Nothing there. They found that maybe leaving Shady and Todd to guard the outside was a good idea since there was nothing here. Still, they only just got in and so they crept through the shadows until they came to the foyer of sorts to the main hall—the one in which Todd had said he saw the staff.

Lining the walls of that 'foyer' were amassed the followers who are part of the Sin Con Movement. A good thirty at best.

Maya stepped forward. "I can handle these guys." She took out a novel regarding her favorite magician. "You guys go get Aura and then we'll discuss who gets the Staff of the Sky."

Jet leered at her. "You mean fight, not discuss, right?"

"You know Maya puts her own definition to words." Virginia remarked. Alfred tossed one of his 'Homemade Bombs' and that cleared the path for the three to get onto the main corridor.

"Okay, so who wants some?" Maya wonders.

On the exterior of the Abneto home the cat, Shady, looks about the terrain. Nothing of note. Todd meanwhile went off to take a leak and said it may take some time. That meant the opposite of what he said then. Shady's ears twitched.

"Something's wrong." He starts to fly away and is cut off by a set of knives that were flung in the ground. Upon a closer look they were in actuality feathers. "The Hell..." Shady jumps away as a humanoid figure drops to the ground.

Standing tall it seems that the man is in reality a mythical beast known as a Tengu. The long nose made that obvious as well as the wings on his back. "Destroy meddlers Master say...Tengu destroy them, Tengu say." No, the man was not a mythical Tengu. He was a normal man that was made into a Tengu. Either that, or a retarded Tengu.

Shady sends a blast of fire at the bird who moves aside and throws a half-dozen of his blade-like feathers at the cat. Shady dodges said feathers barely. It was that moment that the bird-man took to the air causing Shady to fire that direction into the sky and misses each time as Tengu simply maneuvers around it. Shady attempts to glide upward, but is cut off when Tengu swoops down and hits the cat into a nearby tree—breaking the tree in three. Shady stands and blows a breath of fire burning the Bird-man's leg. Swooping down again Shady is hit and sent sliding across the lawn in a rough manner. When he finally stands he is knocked aside by Tengu again. Finally Tengu scoops up the cat and takes him to the air and drops him to the ground.

A cough leaves the cat. "I probably broke some bones that time."

He glances up to see Tengu coming down on him. "Don't be a bully." Tengu stopped his descent and looked to the roof to find Todd and his afro moving in the wind. "You weren't planning on killing my friend were you? Because, then we have a problem." Jumping from the roof for Tengu in an instant Todd draws his blade and strikes out at the freak. The bird nimbly dodges as Todd lands on the ground, rebounds, and misses again as Tengu takes to the air. "Coward!"

Tengu swoops down at Todd and misses Todd who rolls aside and flings some kunai knife from his hair into Tengu's left wing causing the Bird's altitude to drop. "Hurts...pay for, you will!" In seconds Tengu has passed by Todd. Seconds later a burst of blood exits Todd's right shoulder causing him to grab at his wound.

"What are you?" Todd mutters overcoming the pain.

"Death!" Tengu pecks at the man with the afro, but Todd jumps away and uses his left arm to slice up the right wing of Tengu. Tengu charges forward and knocks Todd across the front yard they fought in. Todd swiftly stand and hits Tengu with a double kick. As Todd goes in to slash the bird responds by taking to the air weakly and slowly.

"That's it!" With that aggravated shout Todd threw his blade into the air cleaving off Tengu's left wing and causing the bird-man to fall to the desert dirt with a yelp. The dust scattered as Todd went about retrieving his blade. "Now you lose." He warned scooping it up.

"Kill!" Tengu stood from the ground and charged forward. Todd effortlessly took his blade and struck out at the beast. A moment passed and the beast fell to the earth. Todd sighs and drops to the ground to mend his wounds. "You okay?" He questioned the cat.

"You were late." Shady replied.

"Shut it." The afro man simply responded.

Sanen struggled to remove the staff from it's pedestal. It seemed that the staff had been sealed into that rock formation that became the pedestal long ago. So, it was only natural that it would be hard to remove. Aura meanwhile stood off to the side in fear and worry. It was at this moment that the group burst into the room tearing down the doors as they did.

Sanen turned to them. "Has my offer been accepted? I would hate to have to steal from my good friend."

"I'm afraid he hasn't." Jet simply replied standing in front of Alfred and Virginia. "That staff shall never belong to you." He glanced to Alfred. "I'm going after the staff." Jet stated. "I'll leave Aura to you after I get her out of the way." Alfred nodded in understanding. Jet gave up on Aura. He wanted the staff more than he did her. It was obvious. Still, Jet realized also that Aura's image only plucked at his heartstrings. There was only one woman he could think of in the manner Alfred did of Aura. He looked to Virginia.

"Back you up?" She wondered.

"Something like that. But, whatever you want to do is fine by me." Jet replied.

"If that is Abneto's reply..." Sanen's voice boomed throughout the room. He looked to Aura. "Than suffer the child."

"Don't you dare!" Alfred shouted in an outburst unlike him. Sanen returned with a laugh.

Jet flings a dagger out for Sanen who nimbly dodges as it sticks into the wall. Sanen looks to Aura. She no longer was there. Jet had her in his arms as he stood in the middle of the room. Jet looks to Aura. "Go to the others."

"What will you do?" She wondered. He simply waved her away and strode forward.

"You lost your trump card Sanen. Give it up." Jet sternly requested.

"Heh. You're really beginning to piss me off." Sanen Retorted with a grin.

"Is that-"Before Jet could finish he was blindsided by Sanen with a right hook across the jaw. Jet rubbed at his jaw as he gave a deathly glare. "So, he can fight." Jet stands upright and ready to fight. "So, let's do this then. I will not give up on that staff." Jet lunges forward only to have it dodged and instead be hit back. Jet regained his footing on the linoleum floor and sent a foot into Sanen's chest kicking the man backward. Jet follows up with multiple attacks aimed at the same spot on Sanen's chest. Backing off Jet allows Sanen to collapse to his butt on the floor.

Sanen wiped the blood from his lip from the one attack Jet made on that aforementioned area. A cackle escaping those same lips. "I will, need to be stronger to defeat you."

Jet was ready to give a smug reply and become overconfident, but then he caught on to the laugh. "What...are you up to?" Jet wondered looking around for maybe reinforcements.

In that moment Sanen uses a hidden ARM and fires away at the pedestal in which the staff's end was placed. After enough shots the casing cracks and the staff falls to the floor. As Jet lunges for it as he returned to reality it was too late. Sanen had it and backed away as he dropped his ARM. "With this...I will destroy you." He gripped the staff. "Let me demonstrate why I wanted this."

The staff gives off a blinding aura that causes Jet to look away and when the dark returns Sanen stands sans shirt with noticeable muscle bulk that did not exist before. "That thing...has some demon power?" Virginia muttered.

"Ha-ha! Bring it now boy! Meet your doom!" Sanen cackled.

"No matter." Jet said calmly. "I know who will be the victor in the end." Jet moves his foot to take a step, but by that time Sanen had already shown up behind the gray hair boy. Jet's eye sprung open in surprise, but he covered that up with a glare. "Speed is of no importance."

"It is not just speed. I am far stronger than nearly any other being now." Sanen warned. To show-off he threw his fist into Jet's upper chest and the Drifter was thrown to the far wall where the staff was.

Jet stands lacking air. "I...Bring it..." Jet simply said moving forward only to be hit over ten times by the cult leader until he landed on the ground hard. Regaining wind he jumped back to his feet and swings at the man who holds the Staff of the Sky. Sanen moves with much ease. Sanen grabs the boy and throws him across the floor like in shuffleboard the boy just slide.

"Jet!" Virginia gasped.

"Jet?" Aura wondered.

"Hold on Jet!" Virginia drew her two ARMs and goes to fire, but Sanen knocks her lightly aside. This allows Jet to throw an uppercut in while Sanen's defense was down. Virginia hits the man with her two ARMs butts. Sanen simply knocks each aside. Virginia from the floor aims her ARMs and each are knocked away by Sanen's extended arm and staff combination. Following the cult leader raises the staff to strike at the downed woman, but she is saved by Jet who blocks it with the body of his ARM.

"Your ARM is of no use against this!" Sanen warned. Sanen hits the ARM away from Jet's hand as the ARM slides Jet watches as it falls into a grating and a loud clang tells him that it's goodbye for now.

"Hey! That's it! Now it's personal!" Jet formed a fist, but is knocked away by the staff before ever throwing it. Jet lands on his feet and braces with his hands as he gains traction and runs back only to again be knocked aside by the staff. With the staff's end Sanen hits Jet in the gut before throwing him against the wall. Jet—out of breath—falls to the floor no longer with the ability to get back up.

"I warned you." Sanen laughed.

"Shut up!" Maya burst into the room ARM at the ready. "How dare you risk ruining that gem by getting it bloody?" Alfred sort of slumped his shoulders at that. Virginia made a cough noise. "Oh...and how dare you hurt those two losers."

"You can join them then."

"No, but you can join them!" Maya remarked and readied to attack. The burning desire within her was evident. If only that is enough.


	6. I Almost Didn't Get Around To Posting Th...

"Well then, let's begin shall we little girl." Sanen simply stated with a grin.

"Yeah, yeah." Maya arrogantly replied. "You better live up to such words. You think you are superior or something?" She scoffed. "So, how will this work?"

"I suggest you use a weapon."

"Have it your way." At that she draws her ARM the same time Sanen goes in to strike with the staff. In response the blonde blocks with her ARM up. After parrying that blow she fires off at Sanen who dodges aside. Before she can change her direction Sanen throws a few jabs with his free fist sending Maya back into the adjacent wall. "Cheat!" She argued. "That staff just proves to me that you are weak!"

"Are you crazy?" Sanen wondered. "You are obviously mistaken. I guess I'll have to show you my power then."

"Your power? More like the power of the staff and the demon power it holds!" Maya bitterly returned. "You are really nothing in the end."

In rage Sanen swings out at her, but she ducks away, but is soon caught and thrown into the wall again by a swing of the staff. Just as Sanen goes to ram her stomach with the staff a bullet changes the trajectory of the staff's end and makes it hit the wall instead.

"I can't let you hurt a lady—even though she's a tricky devil." Gallows remarks as he stands at the room's entrance with his ARM raised.

"Another fool?" Sanen mutters.

"I don't need your help!" Maya shouted back.

"Jeez. I just saved you and you say that? Show some gratitude." Gallows gives a shrug before running out into the corridor to meet Sanen head on. While his attention was diverted Maya jumped to her feet and put Sanen into a body hold. Gallows punched Sanen and hit the man with his gun seeing that he did not want to fire rounds and instead hit Maya.

Sanen is able to break free and conducts a spin hitting each aside with the Staff of the Sky. "I think it's time that I show you what I can really do with this staff!" At that the staff illuminated in a golden aura blinding all in the room again as Sanen's body absorbs the staff. However, this is not without side-effect. His form is lost to that of the demon who once held the staff. His body grew in mass while his skin became a green-gray. His eyes dilated and simply were as if he had nothing there aside from white eventually. "Now to finish you all and awake my desire! Starting with..." He scans the room. "Aura!" Sanen seemingly glides toward her, but Alfred jumps in the way.

"You won't harm her!" Alfred not having any weapon on immediate hand throws a punch that does not even make Sanen take notice of it. Sanen simply pushes Alfred aside and the frail boy hits the wall hard leaving a dent and collapses to the floor.

"Alfred!" Aura runs to him as Sanen turns to go for her, but he stops short.

"Hey! You're still fighting me buddy!" Maya said as she fired at him. Her shots deflecting off his skin.

"Ugh...me too! Leave Aura out of this!" Jet stood in a stagger.

"Hey, I was here. This is my fight and I will have that staff." Maya argued.

"I was here first." Jet argued.

"Pheh. Fine. Than we call it a draw and see who can get it first." Maya replied.

"Have it your way. I will take on both of you." Sanen replied as he turned for them. "It actually sounds fun."

After seeing that her ARM was of no use the two Drifters decide on an unmentioned double-team punch on Sanen's face, but it's as if Sanen simply dissolves and goes through them stopping at their backsides as they are left in utter shock punching air. In that moment Sanen uses the staff's power to blow the two aside with a wave of wind. Possibly wind arcana.

Rebounding off the walls with a kick the two fly back at Sanen throwing two kicks to his neck. As they land they watch as Sanen simply just stands as if nothing happened. Again, they are blown away by an unknown wind power. Relentless the two get back up and run back to punch Sanen, and again he moves leaving Maya's fist to land in Jet's nose as Jet's totally misses her body.

"What are you doing?" Jet roared grabbing his nose.

"H-He moved." Maya defended.

It was then that Sanen sent a kick to Maya's gut sending her gliding across the floor and stopping at the wall. Jet does a body slam knocking Sanen back a foot. Maya comes back with a kick that again does no damage. Sanen turns to her and uses his wind energy wave again to throw Maya into the wall and into unconsciousness. Turning his attention back to Jet he throws multiple punches, but Jet is able to clear a jump over the empowered cult leader and land at his hind side avoiding all attacks. Unfortunately the unknown wind attack is capable of being used with a thought and Jet is thrown upwards into the ceiling, and then lets Jet fall to the floor with a near splat. Still, Jet gets up. Sanen lunges for Jet, but the gray haired man is able to move aside from it. Sanen simply snatches Jet at the collar of his black shirt and tosses him to the entrance where Aura yelps when he just misses her while she was looking after Alfred.

"Ugh...How can I beat this bastard?" Jet moaned.

Footsteps stop just before touching Jet's hair as he lied on the ground. "Get up idiot." Clive simply stated.

"What did you say?" Jet wondered why Clive would say something that was not Clive-like.

"I have what you need to beat him. It's rather quite simple and only you can do this, so...get up. It's not over just yet."

Jet stood in an instant. "So, you got something? What is it?"

"To counter the power of the demon's Staff of the Sky the humans created the Sword of the Earth." Clive mentioned.

"And, you have this thing?" Jet wondered.

Clive forks over a sword in it's sheathe. "I should-"Jet drew the hilt from the sheathe only to find no blade whatsoever. Jet looks to Clive with a confused agitated look. "Yeah, I found that odd as well." Clive replied fixing his glasses on his nose.

"You brought me this?" Jet asked in all seriousness. "I should have known. What good are you?"

"Heh. It was a valiant effort." Sanen commented. "Die!" Sanen send a blast for the two by the door, and it hits Jet dead-on. He had tried to raise his hands in time to block, but only got in a wave of his right hand. And, the blast flung itself into the left wall away from Aura and Alfred.

They stood silent for a moment as Jet realized he was a-okay. "Uh, what just happened?" He wondered.

"In your hand." Clive stated. In Jet's right hand had been the hilt of The Sword of the Earth.

"Maybe...it is of some use." Jet said with a grin.


	7. The AntiClimatic Ending that will lead t...

"Hmm...Let's try that one again!" Sanen roared. Another wave is sent for Jet only to again be deflected by the Sword of the Earth. Jet grinned.

"Heh. I'm not about to let you use that for whatever desire you wish. I have a desire too, and you're standing in my way. You want to destroy me for standing in your way, but I have the same objective." Jet tossed his coat and scarves aside so that they no longer would get in his way. "I know what to do with this thing." Concentrating on the sword hilt as if it were an extension of him. The same thing he does with the Aigert-Lahm B/V2, and the same thing he had done before with that wire. A blade forms from the hilt as Jet opens his eyes. "So, now that we're at equal terms let's finish this so I can get my thirteen million gella." Swinging the blade a wave similar to that of the one Sanen sends out flies at the demonic cult leader sending the man into the wall.

Wiping his mouth of blood Sanen stood back up. "Now...this interests me."

Jet charges forward and strikes down with his blade at Sanen, but an astral version of the staff blocks the attack. "He can still use the staff?" Jet muttered.

"Ha!" Sanen sent another wave for Jet who in surprise deflected it as fast as he could. Jet rebounds and sends the sword at Sanen who parries the blade. Jet tries to throw another wave from the sword, but Sanen sends his own negating the attack and sending Jet and Sanen to the floor.

"Both of them are useless against one another?" Jet muttered as he grabbed his head out of pain. Standing as does Sanen the two glare at one another. "How can I get an attack in then?" Jet wondered to himself.

Sanen throws his fist out for Jet who moves aside and waves the sword directed at a pillar totally missing Sanen. "Heh. Your sword doesn't seem to help with your accuracy." He commented with a grin.

"It doesn't?" Jet smirked.

The pillar collapsed falling for Sanen from behind, but Sanen catches on and moves aside only to step into a punch from Jet. "Damnit...You seem to have this all planned out." Sanen muttered as he stepped back. Jet could only arrogantly grin.

"You know that if I could only get one of those wave attacks in, I could kill you." Jet simply stated.

"But, you know that you can't pull that off. You have the same problem I do."

Jet sends his blade for Sanen who moves aside and send a small wind wave at Jet hitting the gray haired Drifter back. Jet kicks Sanen in response, and Sanen simply lunges for Jet who at the last moment jumps away. Jet gets a grip on the floor with his boots and charges forward sending his forehead into Sanen's own sending the cult leader to the ground and causes Jet to stand back and clutch his head for such a stupid move. Sanen seeing Jet off-guard sends a wave flinging the boy into the far wall.

Jet stood up in a stagger. "Ugh...Damnit! I'm the only guy getting his ass kicked here."

"Hey Bozo!" Maya stood grabbing her hurt arm.

Sanen looked her way. "You want to be beaten again?"

"Heh. This time I only see victory though." Maya grinned.

"The same for me." Alfred stumbled into the fray.

"You? You're not even that strong! What do you have to offer me as a challenge?" Sanen commented.

"You don't have to be strong to be a fighter." Alfred noted.

Maya stood on Sanen's left as Alfred was to his right. "Then, I'll destroy you at the same time!" Sanen stretches his arms out in each direction ready to send a wave for Maya and her brother.

"Jet!" Maya shouted.

"Now!" Alfred added.

Before Sanen could retract his arms Jet saw his opening and took it. His wave flying straight for the man in front of him. Without defense the wave ran through Sanen engulfing him in it sending the staff out from his body and into the wall. As everyone watched the cult leader fell to the floor as he was before he had touched the staff. Jet is the first to reach the staff though. Staring at it as it called out to return to Sanen. Hearing the demon within the staff Jet could do only one sad thing. "Shit!" He shouted as he broke the staff apart with the sword. The Sword of the Earth fell apart as well. "Damnit!" He growled. He did not have his gella. He would not now. Why did he have to do the right thing? He hated that. Those damn 'chatterboxes' must have worn off onto him.

"N-No!" Sanen gurgled as he crawled toward him. Maya in the same despair. Her ideas of gella and gems were equally at the same status. "You destroyed them! Now they're worthless!"

"All of this wasted time and energy." Jet groaned.

"I will kill yo-"Sanen began to stand only to be shot in the leg by Virginia who was just getting up.

Jet grinned at her. Finally, someone shut the bastard up. "He was...ruining my dream." She simply said as she fell back to the floor to rest up some more.

Aura ran out onto the floor with Clive behind her. Aura turned to Alfred. "Are you okay, Alfred?"

"Y-yeah?" He muttered. "I really didn't take any damage. Jet and my sister probably did."

"Jet only won because of you and your sister." She noted. "It was very brave of you."

Maya stood by herself with crossed arms and a crossed face. She kept muttering, "Nothing...we've got nothing."

Gallows helped Virginia up as Jet just sat on the ground in the same situation as Maya, but he did not say it and only thought it. Finally Clive just scanned the scene and turned away. At the same time Jet stood as well. "You guys are too loud and bore me. I'm going to go see how those other two idiots are doing outside." Jet simply said with a wave as he left the room.


	8. An Epilogue that as always makes you wan...

The day came to an end as the sun lowered in the distant sky. A place that no one would ever get to and not even a guardian could reach. The orange hue added to the already dark orange lands changed the colors to a near brown or possibly red-brown.

On the shore of the Abneto sat a hunched over Drifter who was disappointed in the entire situation. It was this time that the woman with the white hair came up behind him with her hair moving in the wind along with her clothing.

"Thank you...for saving me and defeating Sanen." Aura uttered.

"I didn't do nothin'." Jet argued as he glanced away and tossed a rock into the sea of sand.

"Will you be leaving now?" She wondered.

"I was thinking about it."

"So...you are Jet Enduro? I've heard that name before. I think my father's old friend was Elliot Enduro."

Jet closed his eyes. "That means nothing to me."

"Oh? So you aren't related?"

"No, he's..." He took in a breath. Screw it. Who cares about the truth? "He's my father."

"Oh." She lowers her head. "You dislike him?"

"Not so much when I think back." Jet stood.

Jet turned to her and she gave him a light smile as the wind came by. "So...this is good bye?"

"Yeah, I think so."

"So long, then." She moves forward and gives him a kiss on the cheek before turning away. Jet was to say the least surprise. He knew it meant nothing. He knew she liked Alfred. Still, he liked to think that he actually feels something. He was never too up to par with his emotions, but, he can feel. That was something he thought he could not do. Guess he was wrong.

"Hey!" Maya placed a firm step on the beach. Jet glanced her way. She throws something to the ground. "You may have destroyed the staff and the sword, but that gem is still okay. Now, in all fairness I can't simply just take it."

Jet grinned. "I see."

The two stared into the others eyes, and in a split second the two run for the other. Maya throws her fist into Jet's face, but Jet is still able to trip her up and then elbow her as she lied on the ground. She recovered quickly and uppercutted the Filgaia Sample in the gut. As he stumbled back he pushed the girl aside.

It was this moment that Todd and Virginia decided to show up on the outside of the battle. "Milady!"

"Jet!"

Each of the combatants glanced at the one who said their name, then looked back to their enemy, and started for the other. Jet goes to punch her the same moment she tries the same and each of their fists collide and ricochet against the others. Jumping back they each drew their respective weapons and glanced at the other. Jet moves first, but in his own compassion—that he hates—he could not just out cold shoot her so his hand moved his aim from her eye to her ear and fired just shooting off a few strands of hair instead of damaging the girl. Maya fired on her own, but Jet deflected the shot with his AIgert-Lahm B/V2.

They each move forward, hit the others ARM out of their hands, looked to their ARMS on the ground, looked to their enemy, looked to their ARM, and then scooped each of their own up aiming at the enemy. Jet had a clear shot at her head with the mouth of his ARM three inches from her eye. She had hers pointed right for his heart. Virginia and Todd watched in worry as the two just remained that way on the beach. Nothing happened for at least six minutes.

And then the least expected things happened. "That's dirty!" Maya roared as she landed on her butt with a flushed face. Covering her face up as she lost her ARM. Jet simply scooped up the gem and turned away in a suave and cool manner despite the fact his heart was a-racing and he felt like an ass by using such a tactic.

"That's one stolen gem...and one stolen kiss." Jet informed her and walked away as Virginia and Todd watched him do so in confusion.

"I can't believe...he beat me..." Maya muttered. "And...I can't believe how much of an amazing kisser he is."

"Milady!"

"I...didn't say that did I?" She covered her mouth in embarrassment. "Let's get out of here as soon as possible Todd. This place just isn't me." She glanced at Virginia. "You better live until the next time we meet...and make sure that guy does too. We still have a fight to finish."

"Uh-huh." Virginia smirked with a hidden wroth. "Is that right? A rematch with Jet?"

"Sh-shut up! I do. I will not forgive him for this!" Maya yelled in frustration. With that she stormed off with Todd following right behind as they ran on up to the Abneto home.

"So...where to now leader?" Gallows questioned as he and Clive joined her on the beach.

"Well...we go catch up to Jet and then...who knows? We'll see." She gave a shrug. "It'll probably be exciting, challenging, and scary considering our track record."

"But we'll still go?" Gallows wondered.

"You stupid chatterboxes better not hold me back! I just made us all real money here!" Jet shouted from afar. "So let's go get the blasted gella!"

"Heh. Suddenly a team player?" Gallows mused at the two met up.

"Whatever." Jet glanced away.

"May I see the gem?" Clive questioned. Jet obliged. Jet trusted Clive enough not to make off with his gem.

"Jet," Virginia began. Then she just smacked the back of his head.

He sneered at her. "What was that for?"

"Don't ever use such a stupid move to win again." She warned. He glanced at her confused. Then he realized what she meant and glanced away with a blush. "You liked that?"

"What? No? Not with her!" He protested.

"Then with who?" Bu now all were watching him.

"Sh-Shut up!" He snatched the gem back. "Now I don't think I'll share the reward for this baby." With that he walked ahead of them mumbling how he likes to be alone and all. He was still going to share the reward. He was just going to make them earn it first. He just had to figure out how.


End file.
